


The Running Man

by Ink_Gypsy



Series: Lucky Clover Diner Universe [49]
Category: The Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M, Sean Astin/Elijah Wood - Freeform, fffc, lucky clover diner universe, manips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:28:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29296638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_Gypsy/pseuds/Ink_Gypsy
Summary: Elijah encourages Sean to return to competitive running.
Relationships: Sean Astin/Elijah Wood
Series: Lucky Clover Diner Universe [49]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/592381
Kudos: 3





	The Running Man

**Author's Note:**

> Frodo Flash Fiction Challenge Prompt: running.

[ ](https://imgur.com/yMkA9KL)

Sean knew he was a little out of shape – okay, a lot out of shape, so he wasn’t insulted when Elijah didn’t believe he used to be a marathon runner.

“Really?” Elijah asked. “You went running for fun?”

“Is it really that hard to believe?”

“No,” Elijah lied, “I’m just surprised.”

“Well it’s true,” Sean informed him. “Of course, it was when I was in college so I was in better shape then.”

“Why’d you stop?”

“I did keep it up for a while once I graduated, but once I took over the diner, there just wasn’t enough time.”

“You should start up again,” Elijah suggested.

“I don’t know,” Sean said. “It would mean getting in shape again, and with work...”

“I could help you,” Elijah offered. “We could train together.” While they were talking, Elijah logged on to the computer and declared, “Hey, there’s a 10K run in town in a month. How far is that?”

“A little over six miles.”

“Could you be ready for that?”

Sean found the idea of being ready for anything that physical in a month extremely doubtful, but Elijah seemed so excited that Sean said he’d give it a try.

He assumed Elijah would keep their little discussion to himself, but the next morning when some of the staff and even a few of their regulars said “Good luck on the 10K, Sean,” Sean knew the word was out. He hadn’t told Elijah to keep it a secret, but now there was no backing out and he’d have to do his best to make it happen.

They began training that night. Since Elijah didn’t have an ounce of excess fat on his small, compact frame, Sean had no doubt he could run. He wasn’t so sure about himself, but once they started, his muscle memory kicked in. Sean began to feel the burn of the blood rushing through his legs and enjoy the sound of his athletic shoes slapping the pavement.

On the third night, when Sean joined him outside after the lockdown, he was surprised to find Elijah had a bicycle. “Where did this come from?” he asked.

“It’s Rhonda’s,” Elijah explained, referring to one of the wait staff. “Her son used it to deliver papers, but he doesn’t need it now, so she said we could borrow it. I’ll ride next to you while you run.”

“Sounds like you’ll be getting the better part of that deal,” Sean decided.

Elijah frowned. “I don’t have to ride the bike. I can run, too."

“No, it’s fine. I’ll just pretend I’m Rocky Balboa.”

They trained every night, going home after work, changing into sweats before going out again, then coming home, showering and having dinner. What had begun as a hardship soon became the high point of Sean’s day and he was actually looking forward to the 10K.

On the morning of the race, standing in the crowd of other runners, wearing a backwards baseball cap and with a number stenciled on his bicep, Sean was ready and anxious to run in his first competitive race in ten years. Then the starter pistol went off and Sean was on his way.

[ ](https://imgur.com/C0wC06r)

He didn’t come in first. He didn’t come in second or even third. He came in thirteenth, but when he neared the finish line and saw Elijah standing there, waving madly and loudly cheering him on to victory, Sean felt very proud of what he’d accomplished. 


End file.
